Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Second verse, better than the first.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 20, 2023

Fusing together two well-established franchises isn't exactly a new thing in any format or media, as it's usually meant to draw in those separate but sometimes similar fanbases to delight, enrage, and/or ultimately profit from both camps. Invariably, these fusions favor one property over another... and in the case of Justice League x RWBY, its focus leans a bit more heavily towards the latter. (Fittingly, the 2021 comic mini-series it was based on flips the group names around, but this adaptation is distributed by Warner Bros.) Broken into two separate parts, it was all but guaranteed that each half of Super Heroes and Hunstmen would slightly favor each of these vastly different franchises.

Part One, released on 4K and Blu-ray back in April, was a lukewarm start to the party, one that had its moments but was unquestionably bogged down by character introductions and setup... not to mention being burdened with a brief adjustment period required to get used to familiar characters in an unfamiliar world. Plot-wise, there was no immediate explanation for the sudden arrival of teenage versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, The Flash, and others; they just kinda showed up in Remnant's four kingdoms of Vale, Mistral, Atlas, and Vacuo with no recollection of how or why they ended up there. Naturally, RWBY's lead and supporting characters -- including of course Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang -- organically paired off with similar Justice League counterparts, a creative decision that showed there was obviously some thought put into what was otherwise a paper-thin setup. As such, their shared goal was to take down superpowered Grimms before they destroyed Remnant, which had been curiously affected by the arrival of these new visitors. As their mission went on, exactly what had been affecting their world become more apparent.

After its cliffhanger ending confirmed that "Remnant" was actually a simulation created by Kilg%re, this second part flips the script by bringing both teams back to Earth, where once again some appearances have changed. The primary Justice League members are back to their original adult forms (with new voice actors to match), and even Team RWBY looks different; the animation is still done by Rooster Teeth with its unmistakably smooth rotoscoped aesthetic, but the four ladies are now closer to DC-style characters with new costumes and powers to match. It's obvious that a greater amount of thought has been put into this fusion: personal relationships are deepened on both sides as well as within joint partnerships between the two groups, and a renewed sense of teamwork gives them stronger motivation to take down a new shared enemy. It's also worth noting that the action is both more frequent and quite a bit more effective this time around, as Part 1's lightweight approach was another mild flaw that didn't sit right with fans.

Perhaps my only real complaint -- and I'm treading lightly here, both to avoid spoilers and reinforce the fact that I'm not all that familiar with RWBY's lore -- is that Part 2 features story elements that are canon to the series, which has undergone a lot of change in recent months and thus within the timeline of this two-part adventure. As such, certain plot points and character motivations had to be dialed back slightly, but as a result those less familiar with one or both franchises may still find a few items difficult to follow. Luckily, it's mostly kept in check and, pound for pound, if you liked -- or at least tolerated -- the first part, this conclusion will feel like an all-around improvement.

Warner Bros. has released Super Heroes and Huntsmen, Part Two on this Blu-ray as well as a 4K edition (no combo pack this time), both of which feature good to great transfers and improved audio but even fewer extras.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It's clear from these screenshots that Super Heroes and Huntsmen continues the visual style of Part 1 by preserving the pseudo-3D world of RWBY as animated by Rooster Teeth. Though character designs and backgrounds are different this time around (due to a big change in scenery) and the action is tighter, it still occasionally feels more floaty than energetic, like a video game cut scene. Nonetheless, they're represented decently well on this Blu-ray's 1080p transfer which, even on a single-layered disc with a limited bit rate, runs fairly smoothly from start to finish with solid image detail, relatively clean lines, and good color representation that balances its vivid and muted hues deftly enough. Small problems can easily be picked out on medium to large displays, though, including moderate banding issues and a few compression artifacts on flat colors and in busier, action-heavy sequences. They're well-handled for the most part, and even partially hidden by much of the stronger moments and dynamic framing, but ultimately prevent the Blu-ray from achieving higher marks even though some of these issues are almost expected on the format.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

I surprisingly had a lot of issues with Part 1's DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix, which strangely placed all of the action and dialogue squarely up front while overcooking music in the surround channels. Whether due to a problem with the source material or a flaw in the disc authoring process, I'm happy to report that Part 2 sounds quite a bit better overall. Dialogue, background effects, and action now moves more freely around the sound stage and are mixed well with other effects and the original score, which is thankfully closer to normal levels than the previous installment -- it's perhaps still a little overcooked, but certainly not a distracting degree. Bottom line: it's as dynamic and action-packed as you'd expect for a production of this type, and one that makes the main feature more enjoyable as a result.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature and all extras.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc set ships in a keepcase with appropriately busy cover art, a matching metallic slipcover, and a Digital Copy redemption code. The bonus features are predictably light and fluffy with none of Part 1's vault episodes.

• I've Got Your Back: The Bond Between Justice League and RWBY (6:45) - This featurette details Part 2's development and story, focusing mostly on deepening character relationships as well as necessary changes made to both teams in a new environment. Several key cast and crew members are interviewed including co-directors Dustin Matthews and Yssa Badiola, returning screenwriter Meghan Fitzmartin, producer Ethan Spaulding, all four of the main RWBY voice actors... and hey, even a few Justice League ones this time, too.

• You Look… Different: RWBY on Earth (7:12) - Many of the same interview participants return for a brief look at the visual side of Part 2, from the new/refined character designs and environments to action scenes, as well a few thoughtful changes to existing superpowers -- or lack thereof -- in the Team RWBY camp.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Co-directed by Dustin Matthews and Yssa Badiola, the exhaustively-named Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen, Part Two improves on Part One in substantial ways. No longer with burdened with character introductions and crossover setup, it's a more tightly paced and enjoyable outing that deepens character relationships and features better action scenes, too. I can't imagine anyone seeing this as a step down, so obviously those who enjoyed -- or at least tolerated -- the first part will find a lot to like here. Warner Bros.' separate 4K and Blu-ray editions feature great A/V specs but are light on extras, yet unfortunately their astronomical price tags feel like blatant price-gouging. Fans will want to buy this at some point, but ~$30 is a lot to pay for a 75-minute film. (Even a good one.)